Decision made on my 45Colt Bullet for Deer this season

[jakes10mm]

I emailed Penn Bullet for their recommendation on a 45 Colt bullet for PA deer.  He recommended their 270gr Thunderhead and 340gr Casull bullets.  The bore-ridding wadcutter design of the 270 caught my imagination.  I have fired some lead bullet with a large meplat and hear the concussion downrange.  These bullets should provide an even louder slap on the target.  The company president emailed me back with the recommendation and also said that the 270gr are great out to 75 yards.  Where I'm hunting....I'd need to shoot through trees and underbrush to get 75 yards.  

I will update this thread after my first range trip and (fingers crossed) after my Buck kill this season.

Check out Penn Bullets at:  www.pennbullets.com

Enjoy!

[Dusty Miller]

If a 45 Colt with a 270 gr. bullet can't take down a deer out to 75 yards then I'd say it was just one heckuva BIG deer!  You're set, go for it.

[John R.]

I just ordered some 300 gr. LFN GC from Beartooth bullets for deer and the 330 gr. WFN PB for hogs. I hope to be testing these soon. :grin:

[oso45-70]

Jakes10mm

Should do the trick, I use 300gr j-fp from Freedom arms and they do a good job, Good luck Jake.........Joe...........

[S.B.]

jakes10mm, sounds like you chose wisely.

[rockbilly]

I has to agree with Dusty.....either that a big un, or ya need to spend more time at the range.........

If ya can hit em with the 270 gr he ought to go down.............

[Glanceblamm]

Jakes
Excellent choice on those hardcast. Ever try to stop one? Dont know exactly what it would take but they blow thru a 5 gal bucket of dirt @ 35yds fairly easy.

I will be using an XTP bullet again this year because my DNR specifies an expanding bullet. There is no such wording for the late season though, go figure  :roll:
 

[jakes10mm]

.... my DNR specifies an expanding bullet..... :roll:
 

I understand expanding bullets for rifle bullets...but pistol?  You are dealing in much lower velocities and normally much larger frontal areas (before expanding...and after).  Seems like a dangerous proposition with thicker skinned critters.  I'd hate to have an expanded pistol bullet stop short and have the game run off slowly bleeding to death.

[Glanceblamm]

jakes10mm Wrote:

Seems like a dangerous proposition with thicker skinned critters

Just whitetails here in IL.

I am only pushing the XTP's around 1,100fps so any expansion may be questionable. Sure would like to be using an LBT type cast with that large meplat.

I suspect the DNR wants the bullet to be stopped as quickly as possible in this higher populated, Shotgun or muzzleloader only state.The2006season will be just the third one where handguns are allowed in all firearm counties during the regular season. With this in mind, I am not complaining too badly...yet    

[volshooter]

I have been expermenting with 340gr WFP loaded lightly with Unique in my New Vaquero. Working real slow with these heavies. I have not put them over a chrony yet but I figure their real slow. Recoil is less than cowboy loads but like it was said they really kick it downrange with a loud thump. I have been trying these because I have boxes of these bullets left over from when I had a .454. Accuracy with heavy lead is outstanding. Not to worry, I wont push the little Vaquero, I have a 44mag for that.

[Gregory]

Jakes

I will be using an XTP bullet again this year because my DNR specifies an expanding bullet. There is no such wording for the late season though, go figure  :roll:
 

From pg 10 of the Deer Hunting Regulations:

"Non-expanding, military style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest white-tailed deer; only soft point or expanding bullets (including copper/copper-alloy rounds designed for hunting) are legal ammunition.
"

I would say a hard cast lead bullet meets the definition of a "soft point".

[Glanceblamm]

Gregory
Agreed & many Thanks!
I really do like both types (jacket/cast) and have had very good luck at the range with the LBT WFN & even the Neoga RNFP.
Those cast sure save some $$ as you know.

With my .45 passing the barrel/cylinder slugging, and all being legal, it sounds like a good excuse to purchase a lube-sizer & mold and shoot strictly cast.

[SingleFan]

I've used Beartooth's 280 Gr WFNGC on two whitetails.  This bullet has a wide meplat as well ( in fact I think Beartooth has perhaps the best and it's offered in .451 or .452 - fantastic accuracy out of my 625-7).

Both deer fell on the spot.  One of them made a snow angel where he fell.

The 45 colt with a bullet of this weight at a moderate velocity of 1100 fps is very proficient.  The first deer taken was at about 65 paces and the other inside of 50.

[jakes10mm]

Made the first range trip yesterday afternoon with this season's hunting rounds.  The Penn Bullets 270gr Thunderhead was loaded over 25.0gr of H110.  Unfortunately, I got to the range late and played with a couple rifles before shooting the Ruger SBH.  By the time the first 270gr Thunderhead was released, I was edging up on dusk....the officail time to stop shooting at my range.  I managed to crack off about 30 rounds from a combination of 50 yds and 25yds.  The poor lighting and rushing my shots did not give me a good indication of acuracy.  But..............man did these (basically wadcutters) bullets hit the cardboard target backing with authority.  At 50yds, the sound approached a 22LR going off next to you.  At 50yds, the holes were pure circles.  Additionally, the overall felt recoil was very pleasant compared to some of the faster 250gr and heavier 300gr loads I have been testing.  

Next trip will start the accuracy work, which means I'll leave the rifles at home!  Stay tuned for updates on these bullets performance at the range and in the field (come December).